


Snapshots

by DarthAbby



Series: Adventures of a Sniper and Her Boyfriends [2]
Category: Hawkeye (Comics), Marvel (Comics), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Multi, Oneshot, Originally Posted on Tumblr, Tumblr Prompt
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-10
Updated: 2019-01-21
Packaged: 2019-09-15 20:29:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 13
Words: 6,730
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16940166
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DarthAbby/pseuds/DarthAbby
Summary: A collection of the various Stuckate drabbles posted on my tumblr, mostly requested by my friends Em and Sarge. Mainly centered around Steve, Kate, and Bucky, but with bonus appearances from other friends.





	1. Stuckate "Are you hitting on her for me?"

**Author's Note:**

  * For [sergeant_angel](https://archiveofourown.org/users/sergeant_angel/gifts), [Ava_Dakedavra](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ava_Dakedavra/gifts).



> [original on tumblr](http://butim-justharry.tumblr.com/post/176001347998/for-the-prompt-5-are-you-hitting-on-her-for)

**[sergeant-angels-trashcan](http://sergeant-angels-trashcan.tumblr.com/) asked: for the prompt, #5, “Are you hitting on her for me?” Steve/Bucky/Kate????**

* * *

 

So, the thing is… Steve likes Kate. It’s hard not to, really, she’s amazing.

But, see, the thing is… Bucky likes Kate, too. And Steve can’t really blame him because, again, she’s amazing. 

However, they have come to something of an impasse because, well… Steve thinks Bucky deserves some happiness, and Bucky thinks Kate deserves better than a former assassin, but Steve is adamant that Bucky would be perfect for her, but Bucky thinks Steve must be blind to not see how well he and Kate go and -

Well, basically, this whole situation would be a lot easier if they didn’t also secretly like each  _other_  so damn much.

And what it all comes down to is this - Kate, standing in the living room of Steve and Bucky’s apartment because it was closer than hers or Clint’s, in a gorgeous black dress and soaked to the bone.

“Don’t ask,” she’d said grumpily when Steve had opened the door. They’d both wisely followed that advice.

Instead, they were having the  _stupidest argument ever._

“Bucky’s sweatshirts are softer,” Steve insisted.

“Steve’s are warmer,” Bucky shot back. “You must be freezing, doll, let me -”

“No way, you definitely want one of Bucky’s -”

“That’s stupid, punk, it’d be much better if -”

“She’ll drown in mine, yours would be -”

“ _No_ , she’ll look fucking adorable in -”

“Guys.” Kate said sharply. They both stopped and looked at her, a bit sheepishly. “I’m gonna go take a hot shower while you… sort whatever this is out.”

As soon as the door closed behind her, Steve gave Bucky a suspicious look. “Are you… hitting on her  _for_  me?”

“Well, you refuse to do it yourself,” Bucky snorted. 

“Because she’s better off with  _you_ , dumbass.”

“Right, the completely fucked-up former Russian assassin with a metal murder arm is better than America’s darling.”

“Bucky, don’t -”

“Steve, I’m just trying to -”

“ _Buck -”_

_“Stevie -”  
_

_“_ Oh my  _god_  will you both shut up?”

They whirled around, finding that Kate had opened the door again. She had a towel wrapped tightly around her and steam floated out from the shower.

Steve, bless his Irish soul, went bright red. “Uh, s-sorry.”

“Damn right,” Kate scowled. “Listen, some advice for you? Instead of acting like children with a toy, how about you fucking  _ask me_  what I think.”

They blinked at her for a moment before Bucky cleared his throat. “Uh, what  _do_  you think?”

“I think you’re both idiots,” she snorted. “Look, you both like me?” They nodded. “Good. I like both of you. It’s not even a question if you like each other, everyone knows that.”

“Uh…”

“So, instead of being  _children_ ,” she said, ignoring the way Steve was getting even redder. “Act your damn age and ask me out  _together_.”

Steve blinked. Looked at Bucky, whose face was carefully blank. Looked back at Kate.

“Uh, Kate? Would you like to go to dinner with Bucky and I next Saturday?”

“Yes. Pick me up at 7, I’ll make the reservations. And now I’m gonna go shower before I catch pneumonia.”

She shut the door firmly.

“Steve? Are we dating now?”

“I think so, yeah. Us and Kate.”

“…huh. That was easy.” 


	2. Buckate "Have I entered an alternate universe or did you really just crack a smile for me?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [original on tumblr](http://butim-justharry.tumblr.com/post/176006754678/55-kate-and-the-winter-solider)

**[mimzylee](https://mimzylee.tumblr.com/) asked: 55. Kate and the Winter Solider**

**55\. “Have I entered an alternate universe or did you really just crack a smile for me?”**

* * *

 

Kate was an old hat at alternate timelines, different dimensions, other worlds - it was sort of a requirement when you hung out with America Chavez for long enough. Especially after that whole… dimensional parasite thing.

Ahem.

What she was  _saying_  was that this, an alternate dimension where most things were the same but she  _didn’t exist_  (rude), should be a piece of cake.

Except, as soon as they had arrived, she’d gotten separated from America and somehow wound up in the company of the Winter Soldier.

Not Bucky, to be clear. Kate  _knew_  Bucky - hell, she  _loved_  Bucky. The man with her, right now, was most definitely  _not_  Bucky. He was 100% the Winter Soldier.

And while he was being awfully helpful, he was also… the Soldier. Which meant that, quite frankly, he wasn’t much fun to team up with.

Bucky had a sense of humor, even if it was buried under 60 years of deadpan expressions and an 18-wheeler full of self-doubt and self-loathing. He was still funny when he wanted to be.

The Soldier? Not so much.

“So, nothing at all to say about the fact that I’m from another dimension?”

“No.”

“You’re just bundles of fun,” Kate grumbled under her breath. “No comment about the dimension-hopping alien with an American flag motif we’re looking for?”

“No.”

“The fact that I was relieved to see you instead of terrified?”

“No.”

“How about my gorgeous self? Not fishing for compliments here, just looking for something other than a monosyllabic answer.”

He cut her a distinctly unimpressed look.

“…well, yeah, technically that  _is_  different.”

Kate sighed. Dimension hopping, when not running for her life from a parasitic entity or hoards of evil versions of herself,  _should_  be fun. America made it sound that way, at least. 

Instead, she was stuck with Grumpy McSilentPants.

Great.

From nearby, a speaker suddenly started blasting music - ‘Love Me Like You Do’ by Ellie Goulding. Nice to know that she still existed in this dimension.

Kate bobbed her head along to the beat and, as the chorus arrived, her long training on Vine (and with subsequent YouTube compilations) meant that she couldn’t help but sing along… somewhat.

“ _Fre-sha-vacado, fre-fre-fre-sha-vacado!”_

To her absolute and total  _shock_ , the Soldier’s lips turned up slightly at that.

“WAIT wait wait  _wait._  Pause. Have I entered an alternate universe or did you really just crack a smile for me? Dumb question, I’m already in another universe - did I enter an alternate  _alternate_  universe?”

He turned to look at her, face completely blank. Kate felt her hope start to fade when - 

“I coulda dropped my  _croissant.”_

When they finally met up with America again, hours later, Kate almost refused to go back. But America,  _this_  one quotes vines with me!


	3. Stucky “I saw you staring at each other, I just wasn’t sure if it was sexual tension or murderous rage.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [original on tumblr](http://butim-justharry.tumblr.com/post/176005634248/129-sam-to-bucky-and-steve)

**[mimzylee](https://mimzylee.tumblr.com/) asked: 129. Sam to Bucky and Steve**

**129. “I saw you staring at each other, I just wasn’t sure if it was sexual tension or murderous rage.”**

* * *

 

_set during Civil War, when they’re hiding in that super-secure warehouse after Bucky escapes_

Really, Sam was not paid enough for this nonsense.

Not that he was technically being paid at  _all_  for this particular nonsense, but… you get the drift.

Even if Sam  _was_  on the clock, he would definitely not being getting paid enough to watch Captain America and the Winter Solider stare at each other in a way that was… intense? There was certainly some sort of emotion being conveyed, but Sam could not, for the life of him, determine what it was.

Love? Murder? Lust? Hatred? Who knew. Not Sam, that’s for sure, especially not when he was running on a single coffee… from yesterday morning. 

He just wanted to get out of the damn warehouse, man. Try not to get killed, at least. If they were lucky, try not to even let this come to fight against the other Avengers.

They probably wouldn’t be that lucky, which is why Sam had called in the damn… cockroach or whatever from SoCal that had clocked him a few months back. And dragged Barton out of retirement. And told Barton to rescue Wanda from the complex.

God, he was so tired.

There was a heavy, metallic clunk. Steve releasing Barnes, probably. Sam stayed where he was by the door, keeping a lookout and giving the two old soldiers some space.

He heard Steve walk up behind him. “Clear?”

“We’re clear,” he said, turning to face him. “Barnes?”

“He’s fine,” Steve said. “We, uh…” he shifted awkwardly. “Thanks for the space.”

Sam shrugged. “Hey man, it ain’t any of my business. I saw you staring at each other, I just wasn’t sure if it was sexual tension or murderous rage. Figured it was best to get out of the way in any case.”

“We - what?”

Sam rolled his eyes and clapped Steve on the shoulder. “Figure out if you want to fuck him or kill him. I’m gonna go steal a car.”

“But - what - hey,  _I’m_  the car thief here!”

Sam shook his head as he slipped out of the warehouse.  _Honestly_.


	4. Sam & Kate "I didn't know you could cook"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [original on tumblr](http://butim-justharry.tumblr.com/post/176004273783/88-i-didnt-know-you-could-cook-oh-trust-me)

**[sergeant-angels-trashcan](http://sergeant-angels-trashcan.tumblr.com/) asked: 88. “I didn’t know you could cook.” “Oh, trust me I can’t.” Sam and Kate?**

* * *

 

Sam wasn’t sure if he should be concerned or not when he walked into the compound kitchen and found Kate frowning at her phone, a large pot bubbling on the stove.

“I didn’t know you could cook,” he said, only slightly suspicious.

“Oh, trust me, I can’t,” Kate said, not looking up from her phone. “But I’m trying to change that. It’s like, a life skill or whatever? Right?”

“Mhm,” he hummed, walking closer. “What are you making?”

“…mac n’ cheese.”

“Classic,” he nodded. 

“Yeah, but the recipe doesn’t tell me how long to cook the noodles for,” she said, waving her phone around a little.

Sam bit the inside of his cheek to keep from laughing. “Easy trick, let me show you.” He grabbed a spoon out of the drawer and fished a noodle out of the pot. With Kate watching him intently, as though waiting for a magic trick, he simply ate it. “Just a little bit longer,” he decided.

“How do you know?” she demanded.

“They’re still a little tough,” he explained. “But if they get mushy, they’re overcooked.”

“That’s it?” she asked. “You just… eat one?”

“Cooking is all about guesstimation,” Sam laughed. “Don’t worry about it too much.”

Kate set her phone aside. “Sam. Samuel. Mr. Wilson.”

“…what?”

She gestured helplessly at the pot. “Please teach me how to cook.”

Sam shook his head and smiled. “Sure, one bird bro to another. I’ll teach you the secret art of kitchen basics.”


	5. Stucky "I'm flirting with you"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [original on tumblr](http://butim-justharry.tumblr.com/post/176003910848/153-bucky-to-pre-serum-steve)

**[mimzylee](https://mimzylee.tumblr.com/) asked: 153. Bucky to Pre-serum Steve**

**153. “I’m flirting with you.”**

* * *

 

Steven Grant Rogers was a lot of things. Stubborn, intelligent, a smart-ass, sick, so stubborn that he often made himself sicker, pretty damn adorable, and completely oblivious.

Bucky had been flirting with Steve for… had to be a couple of years by now. Secretly, of course. Can’t just go shouting about  _that_  sort of thing in the streets. Little things, in the privacy of their own apartment or under the cover of darkness. The sort of subtle tricks that had made a number of girls fall over themselves for Bucky in the past.

And Steve didn’t seem to notice  _any_  of it.

He’d considered in the past if maybe Steve just wasn’t interested in men, but, no, he’d seen the moon-eyes Stevie got over Robert Sterling whenever the actor was on-screen.

But Steve had all the perceptiveness of a blind and deaf granny when it came to Bucky and Bucky’s flirtations. It was downright  _infuriating_.

Which is why, one night, he’d finally had enough and leaned over Steve, who was drawing at the tiny table, and had said, quite bluntly, “I’m flirting with you.”

“Oh.”

They blinked at each other.

“Really?”

“ _Yes_ , really,” Bucky sighed.  _Honestly,_  Steve was hopeless.

“…why?” Steve asked, sounding genuinely bewildered. 

“Why? Why does anyone flirt?”

“To… get a date…?”

“ _Yes_ , Steve.”

“Oh.  _Oh_.” His eyes were wide as saucers, which made him even more adorable, somehow. “Uh, don’t mean to burst your bubble, but we already live together, Buck.”

That… was actually a good point. “Well, then, let’s actually live together as more than just friends.”

“Are you - are you sure about this?”

“Very,” he said firmly. “Are you?”

“Yes,” Steve said, letting out a breathless little chuckle. “Yes, okay, I am - Lord, Buck, I never thought that you were, uh…”

“Well, I am, and so are you,” he said confidently. “And now I’m gonna kiss you.”

“You - oh! Oh, yeah, that’d - yes!”

Bucky laughed and carefully pressed his lips against Steve’s.

Damn, he’d waited far too long to do that. But really, he wouldn’t want Steve, and all his ridiculous stubbornness, any other way.

* * *

 

_Robert Sterling was a real actor and he actually looks a hell of a lot like Sebastian Stan, so, y’know, it just makes sense that little Steve would have a massive crush on him lmao_


	6. Dark!Kate “Everyone keeps telling me you’re the bad guy.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [original on tumblr](http://butim-justharry.tumblr.com/post/176009726943/45-steve-to-bucky-or-maybe-kate-to-bucky-ur)

**[mimzylee](https://mimzylee.tumblr.com/) asked: 45. Steve to Bucky. Or maybe Kate to Bucky? Ur choice**

**45. “Everyone keeps telling me you’re the bad guy.”**

_this uh… this got away from me. u did say it was my choice tho. dark!Kate au anybody?_

* * *

 

She was… not an Asset, not like he had been. Something similar. Something twisted and hurt and not of herself.

Maybe that’s why it took so long for him to finally come up on guard duty. A weak attempt to protect him - or maybe her.

In any case, Bucky sat down in the chair across from the cell door, prepared to wait. He was good at waiting.

She was laying on her back on the small cot, head hanging off the side and legs stretched up against the wall. Her hands were folded on her stomach, and her stare was vacant, as though she was a long ways away from the cell.

She certainly didn’t  _look_  dangerous, but then, Bucky knew quite a lot of people like that. He lived with several of them. 

After a few moments, her eyes seemed to focus, zeroing in on his.

“Hello.”

He raised an eyebrow, not expecting her to talk. “Hello.”

“You’re the Soldier.”

“Not anymore.”

She tilted her head to the side. “Oh?”

He stared at her silently. He wasn’t here to explain himself. He was here to make sure that this young woman didn’t escape.

She didn’t speak again for the rest of his shift. He was fine with that. When Sam showed up to relieve him, he wasn’t  _happy_  just… satisfied that he had gotten the job done. 

Her unnerving stare, too close to flashes of his past that he’d rather forget, had nothing to do with the way he went straight to the gym to destroy a few punching bags.

And it was only out of natural curiosity that he looked up her file before his next shift. Who wouldn’t be curious? There weren’t many people out there that required personal guard duty from the Avengers.

* * *

Well. That certainly explained a lot.

An already accomplished archer and gymnast (and thief), she’d been snatched up by some sort of… Red Room copycat as a tween. An attempt at a Black Widow 2.0. 

Bucky was  _very_  familiar with the Red Room. Unfortunately so. 

That also explained why Natasha had vanished a day after the girl had been put in the cell. No doubt, she was hunting down the remnants of this second Red Room.

He almost wished she had invited him along.

His eyes skimmed over the file again. A runaway, then a kidnapping victim, then a tiny criminal, a second kidnapping… and this was just what Tony had managed to piece together. 

A handful of names stood out, half-familiar. A quick search revealed that she had ended up part of a circus of crime - not the same one Clint had been a part of in his youth, but run by a few of the same people.

Interesting.

A soft alarm chimed. It was almost time for his shift. He waved away the holographic pages and headed for the elevator, wondering if she would speak to him again.

* * *

She did not.

* * *

Clint was always pretty easy to find - if he wasn’t in the common area or the shooting range, he was on the roof or his own floor.

Bucky found him on the roof - the Quinjet pad, to be exact, one leg hanging off the edge and tools spread around as he fiddled with one of his trick arrows.

They sat together in silent camaraderie for a moment.

“Tell me about Carson’s.”

“No,” Clint said evenly. 

 _Fair enough_. “Tell me about her, then.”

He didn’t ask who Bucky meant. “Have you read her file?”

“Yes.”

He shrugged. “Then there’s not much to tell. She got caught up with the circus, same as me. I got lucky, she didn’t.” His jaw tightened. “And now, she’s like the worst parts of Natasha and I.” He didn’t say  _and you_ , but it was implied. Bucky knew what he was, anyways. He didn’t need Clint to say it. “She’s… she’s just a fucking weapon.”

“Do you know her name?” It wasn’t in her file. No name was - she was only referred to as ‘the Sniper.’ No name, not even a call sign, had been found.

Clint’s hands stilled. “I… have my suspicions.”

Bucky stayed silent, and Clint finally relented.

“I still have a couple of contacts in the old circles, and, well… there was this little girl. She training to take over the Hawkeye stage name, and then she just… vanished. She - her name was Kate.”

* * *

When he next sat down in the chair across from her cell door, she is sitting cross-legged on the bed, nodding absently to a beat only she can hear.

“Kate.”

She stilled, eyes snapping to his, but said nothing.

“Everybody keeps telling me you’re the bad guy.”

After a long moment, realizing that he was waiting for a response, she spoke.

“That’s what they used to say about you.”

“They don’t anymore. Not many, anyways.” He leaned forward, elbows on his knees. “If you want, we can try to change their minds about you, too.”

She looked away. “Funny.”

“I mean it.”

“Yeah,” she said quietly. “That’s what Hawkeye said, too.”

He’s not surprised. Clint had been the one to push for Natasha’s rehabilitation - of course he’d want to save Kate, too.

“You’re more than a weapon, Kate. More than just the Sniper.”

“Am I?”

“Yes,” he said firmly. “And we’ll help you, and the rest of the world, learn that it’s true.”

She doesn’t say anything more, but Bucky thinks that the little shine in her eyes might just be hope.


	7. Stuckate

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [original on tumblr](http://butim-justharry.tumblr.com/post/176000476478/48-soulmatekate)

**[mimzylee](https://mimzylee.tumblr.com/) asked: 48. Soulmate!Kate**

**48. “Fuck… I feel like I’ve been hit by a car.”**  [(Stuckate Soulmates Fic on AO3)](https://t.umblr.com/redirect?z=https%3A%2F%2Farchiveofourown.org%2Fworks%2F12028683%2Fchapters%2F27228507&t=MjA0NDFjMjA3M2ZkMDZiOGVkOWNjNThhNzBiOTBkNDVhMGMwMjZlMyw2QUpxYm9Ebg%3D%3D&b=t%3A20RuuDzcO_gkJHw8pOPpGw&p=http%3A%2F%2Fbutim-justharry.tumblr.com%2Fpost%2F176000476478%2F48-soulmatekate&m=1)

* * *

 

_Ugh… what…_

Existing hurt. Who knew?

Kate. Kate knew, because she was lying completely still with her eyes closed and everything  _hurt_.

“Hawkeye?”

And now people were talking to her, and they probably expected her to respond. Ugh.

“Hawkeye, I know you can hear me. Say something.”

“Something.”

She peeled her eyes open to see Sam standing above her, looking both relieved that she was alive and deeply un-amused by her sass. “You okay?”

“No,” she scowled. “Fuck… I feel like I’ve been hit by a car. You get a plate number?”

“Shockingly, aliens don’t have recognizable license plates,” he said flatly. “And it wasn’t you, it was Bucky.” He held out a hand.

“Of course,” she sighed, grabbing his hand and clambering to her feet.

“And then Steve was blown up a bit.”

She rolled her eyes. “Steve gets blown up a bit like its an ice cream punch card. Ten explosions and he gets a free small cone.”

Sam snorted at that. “Yeah. And after  _that,_ you got sort of… punted. About twenty-ish yards.”

“Cool,” she said, wincing as she reached around to check her quiver. “Awesome. Don’t tell anyone else.”

“Cross my heart.”

“Great. Let’s finish this already.”

(They did finish it, and Sam totally told everyone. He got a putty arrow to the face when he was least expecting it in retaliation.)


	8. Stuckate "Home" by Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeroes

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [original on tumblr](http://butim-justharry.tumblr.com/post/174731227683/yeah-ok-but-have-you-ever-considered-bucky)

**[sergeant-angels-trashcan](http://sergeant-angels-trashcan.tumblr.com/) asked: yeah ok but have you ever considered: Bucky playing "Home" by Edward Sharp and the Magnetic Zeroes on repeat while dancing around his house in Wakanda with Kate and Steve**

_[“Home” by Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeroes](https://t.umblr.com/redirect?z=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DDHEOF_rcND8&t=YzQ4Y2IxOGY5ZDQ0ODJhYWNmZDViYjllOTE0YjRkZmFhMTlhOWQ5YyxYdFNQdkRaRw%3D%3D&b=t%3A20RuuDzcO_gkJHw8pOPpGw&p=http%3A%2F%2Fbutim-justharry.tumblr.com%2Fpost%2F174731227683%2Fyeah-ok-but-have-you-ever-considered-bucky&m=1) _

* * *

 

It was actually an accident that he found the song. On a whim one sleepless night, he had searched “home” on YouTube, and one of the first results had been a music video. He had clicked on it, and had instantly become transfixed by the up-beat song and grainy footage.

The song was simple, happy, and… it just made him feel better. It was nice to think that there still existed such pure joy in the world, even with the darkness that dogged the footsteps of himself and those he loved.

Wakanda was a safe haven, but even Shuri had yet to figure out how to get rid of night terrors with a snap of her fingers.

So, Bucky listened to “Home” and let it comfort him on the nights when Kate and Steve both slept deeply and he was loathe to wake them (again). It was, then, a bit of a surprise to find both of them dancing to his song one day.

“ _Ah, home! Let me come home! Home is wherever I’m with you!”_  they sang together as Steve whirled Kate around. She saw Bucky in the door and her smile grew.

“Dance with us!” she called, holding out one hand. 

He moved slowly at first - it had been a very, very long time since he had last danced. But some things really don’t ever go away. Even with some holes in his memory still, his body remembered the moves, and he carefully led Kate around the couch, Steve stepping back to clap in time to the song.

They picked up pace, Kate letting Bucky take full control - she knew a tiny bit of swing dancing, and while that was enough to twirl around with Steve, Bucky was clearly on another level.

(Later, Steve would prod Bucky into telling her about the competitions he entered with his sister, the money they had won - “those Barnes kids, they sure can dance” Steve said in a bad imitation of a club owner - how Becca and Bucky had kept the heat on for several winters)

For now, though… for now, Bucky was actually laughing, and Steve had started singing along again, though a bit tunelessly, and Kate was happy because her boys were happy and right now, in this moment, the world couldn’t hurt them.


	9. Buckate "Come over here and make me"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [original on tumblr](http://butim-justharry.tumblr.com/post/169054445853/hi-could-i-request-a-drabble-with-come-over)

**Anonymous asked: hi!! could i request a drabble with “come over here and make me.” and/or “the skirt is supposed to be this short.” for kate/bucky? thank you!! xoxo**

_hi anon! i’m SO SORRY about how long this took - i was sans computer for a while and i hate trying to answer asks on mobile. here’s a lovely Buckate (with a side of Kate & Peter being bros) ficlet for you!_

* * *

“What,” Bucky said flatly, “are you doing.”

“Proving Peter wrong!” Kate said furiously, glaring at her reflection in the mirrored wall across the room. There was a specific gleam of hate in her eyes for the two apples precariously balanced, on on top of the other, on her head.

Peter, for his part, was sitting cross-legged on the weight bench, in full costume minus the mask, and grinning broadly. “You’ll never do it.”

“Fucking watch me!”

Bucky raised an eyebrow but just leaned against the door frame, content to let the two work out whatever stupid bet was on this week.

Kate took a slow breath, raising her bow to aim at her reflection in the mirror. The arrow on the string, Bucky noticed, was one of the trick ones that Clint loved breaking out at every opportunity. Interesting - Kate usually didn’t care to use them unless she had to.

She pulled back, not at full strength, and released. The arrow cut through the air, soaring directly at the mirror… until it abruptly pulled a 180 and was coming back to Kate. She stayed still as the arrow drew closer, thunking solidly into the apple closest to her head and sending both fruit to the floor.

Kate laughed, throwing her hands in the air. “I  _told you_ , I fucking  _told you_ , Parker, I can hit ANYTHING!”

Peter was looking upset, a little overly so - dramatics, Bucky assumed. The kid liked to play up moments like this. 

Kate half-skipped over to him and held out a hand. “Pay up!”

Peter heaved a sigh and put his hand in hers. “Fine, you have my word. Webbing arrows by the end of the month.”

Kate cheered again, and Peter shook his head. She ran off to the uneven bars, jumping up to do some celebratory flips, and Peter stood up.

“That was a pretty simple shot,” Bucky said, walking over to pick up the boomerang arrow, still stuck in the apple. “For a Hawkeye, at least.”

Peter shrugged. “Yeah. She’s been bugging me about trying to make some webbing arrows for months. It makes both of us feel better if it’s like she actually earned it somehow.”

Bucky blinked at him. “That seems… overly complicated.”

Peter nodded. “Oh, it is. But it works. I got Kate to pay for the repairs to my suit last time we teamed up by free-falling from the Helicarrier to about the halfway point on Avengers Tower before using my webs.” He shrugged. “The barter system is making a weird comeback among us youngins.”

He walked away before Bucky could come up with a response to that. Maybe they needed to start a seminar or something;  _Parachutes and How They Can Benefit You!_  Compulsory attendance by Captain America, Spider-Man, and both Hawkeyes. Lord knows Steve had given him enough heart attacks over the years; between him, Barton, Kate, and now Peter, they were going to put that healing ability of his to the test.

Speaking of Hawkeyes and high places…

“Hawkeye,” he said, remembering the reason he had gone looking for her in the first place. “You’re wanted on the range.”

Kate swung around to sit on top of the higher bar, pouting a little. “What? Why? I’m busy!”

Bucky gave her a blank look. She was far from busy. 

“Okay, well, I’m working on my agility and upper body strength!” she defended, reading his look correctly.

“Get down,” Bucky said.

“Come over here and make me!” Kate declared, sticking her tongue out at him.

Fine.

The distance between him and the uneven bars was enough to build up a bit of speed, and it was no effort after that to jump up and grab the shorter bar, swinging himself up to sit across from her and quietly thank Stark again for installing the really heavy-duty equipment that could hold even Thor’s weight. 

Kate blinked, and then smiled at him. It was different from her wide, bright smiles for Peter, or the sly, trouble-maker grins she shared with Tony. This was warm and seemed to promise something that Bucky was hesitant to name. “Well, fancy seeing you here, Sarge.”

He blew a stray strand of hair out of his eyes. “Range, Hawkeye. Now.”

“On whose orders?”

He cocked his head to one side. “Mine.”

“Oh,” Kate said, eyes tracing over his face softly. “Why didn’t you say that sooner?” She flipped around before he could answer, sticking the landing as she hit the mat and giving him that different smile again from below. “You comin’ or not?”

His landing was less showy, but just as graceful, and they turned towards the door together.

“So, what’s so important that you need me for at the range?”

“Testing a new sniper rifle,” he said. “Wanted an extra set of eyes. If you’d like,” he said, an idea forming in his mind. “We can make a bet out of it.”

“Oh yeah?” she asked. “What sort of bet?”

“First to thirty headshots,” he decided. “You win, I owe you one. I win, you owe me one. Deal?”

“Do I want the Winter Soldier to owe me a favor, he asks,” she said, shaking her head. “Of course I do! Deal!” They shook hands, and her smile changed to the familiar, playful one. “You’re gonna regret this, Barnes!”

(He didn’t. She won, and called in her favor; a night out on the town, no missions. He agreed, but called it a date instead, told her to save her favor for another time. After the fourth date, it was less of a favor, and more of an understanding that they would have each other’s backs.)


	10. Stuckate + Sam "My dog accidentally came home with your dog's toy"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [original on tumblr](http://butim-justharry.tumblr.com/post/168466702728/yes-hi-sorry-im-garbage-but-could-you-do)

**[sergeant-angels-trashcan](http://sergeant-angels-trashcan.tumblr.com/) asked: Yes hi sorry I'm garbage but could you do steve/kate/Bucky, either the "it must be hard with your sense of direction never able to find your way to a decent pickup line" or "My kid accidentally came home with your kid's toy and crap you're a hot single parent too" though the kids could probably be dogs? Three dogs and single dad Sam Wilson idk. Enjoy your time left in London!! ilu byyye**

hello yes i am also garbage pls enjoy this Hot Mess™

does it count as self-insert if u put ur own dog in a fic?

* * *

“Bucky? Have you seen the you-know-what?” Kate asked, frowning as she dug through her tote bag.

“Not since the park,” he answered with a frown. “Why?”

“Fuck,” she muttered. “I think we grabbed the wrong one.”

Bucky’s frown deepened. This could be problematic.

Their dog, a lively young Doberman,  _loved_  playing frisbee. She couldn’t even be tempted away with food if her favorite was out - a black Kong-brand one. She’d play until she couldn’t even move. They couldn’t even say the word ‘frisbee’ without risking her getting excited.

If it was lost, then she was going to mope  _hard_.

* * *

“Where’s Blu’s frisbee?” 

Steve looked up from his sketchpad at the question. “What?”

“Blu’s frisbee,” Sam repeated. “I can’t find it.”

“I put it with his leash -”

“No,” Sam interrupted. “That’s a different frisbee. It’s black and a little torn in the middle.”

Steve furrowed his brow. “Oh. Well…”

Sam sighed. “You brought the wrong frisbee home, didn’t you?”

“…quite possibly.”

He groaned. “Blu loves that thing! And he doesn’t like playing with other dogs’ toys, you know that.”

Steve rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. “Uh, I was distracted?”

“By?” he asked, raising an eyebrow at his boyfriend.

“…there was a really cute guy, and -”

Sam rolled his eyes as Steve blushed. “You’re hopeless, you know that?”

“He was playing frisbee with his dog and girlfriend,” Steve said quickly. “Maybe we just switched on accident? We can go back tomorrow and find out.”

“If they’re there,” Sam sighed. “Whatever, best plan we’ve got right now.”

* * *

Bucky and Kate headed back to the park the next day, Ziva quivering with excitement in the backseat. Maybe they could find whoever had accidentally taken their frisbee and offer an exchange. The dark blue frisbee that Kate had found was back in the tote bag, along with some tennis balls (Ziva’s second-favorite toy). 

Pulling up to the park, Kate nudged Bucky. “Look, it’s that cute guy from yesterday.”

The tall, muscular blond that both of them had been surreptitiously eyeing the day before was back, still in a shirt that was just this side of too small and with an Australian shepherd bouncing around his knees. He wasn’t alone today, though; an equally attractive black man was with him, and they were apparently scanning the other park-goers as they talked and threw an orange ball for the dog.

The blond, Kate noticed, had a black frisbee folded in half and sticking out of his back pocket.

Without even informing Bucky of this, she jumped out of the car and rushed over. “Hey! Tall, blond, and attractive!” Much to her amusement, the guy actually turned around at that, eyebrows raising as he leaned over to say something to his companion. The other guy smirked a little and nodded.

“Can I help you?” he asked as Kate finally got close enough to speak without yelling.

“I think you have my frisbee,” Kate said. “And I have yours. Maybe. Good  _god_  you’re tall,” she muttered, squinting up at him.

He blushed a little and laughed, pulling the frisbee out of his pocket. “This one?”

“Yes!” she said happily. The blue frisbee was retrieved from her bag as a familiar black blur zoomed up. “This yours?” she asked as Ziva hopped up and down on her front paws, excited to start playing.

“That’s it,” he said. They quickly exchanged toys, whipping both dogs up into an excited frenzy. Kate launched Ziva’s black frisbee hard to the right, as the blond sent the blue frisbee to the left.

“I take it this has been sorted out?” Bucky asked as he strolled up.

“Yep!” Kate nodded. “Oh, uh, I’m Kate, by the way, and this is my boyfriend, Bucky. Our dog is Ziva.”

“Steve,” the blond introduced. “This is my boyfriend, Sam, and our dog is Blu.”

Pleasantries were exchanged all around as the dogs came running back, eyes shining, tails wagging, and the right frisbee in their mouths.

They ended up spending most of the day at the park together, talking and laughing and playing with the dogs. By the time both pooches were flopped over in the shade, panting happily, both couples were practically old friends.

“Hey, listen,” Sam said. “Steve and I are going to this great little Italian place tonight, up on 42nd. You’re welcome to join us if you’d like.”

“That sounds great,” Bucky said with one of his understated smiles.

(It might have taken a while, but eventually, the double-dates turned into just plain dates, but that was no one’s business but their own. And really, in this economy, it was just smart to split the rent four ways, right?)


	11. Tony & Kate “Crocs? Who hurt you so much in this life?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [original on tumblr](http://butim-justharry.tumblr.com/post/176000114883/21-tony-to-kate)

**[mimzylee](https://mimzylee.tumblr.com/) asked: 21. Tony to Kate**

**21. “Crocs? Who hurt you so much in this life?”**

* * *

 

Tony Stark, contrary to popular belief, is not actually that fashionable. Sure, he can clean up nice for the press or important meetings, but he would wear his ratty MIT sweats and Black Sabbath t-shirts 24/7 if he could.

However, Tony Stark is still fashionable enough to recognize some facts. Like, he doesn’t wear socks with sandals (except for that one time, but that was specifically to fuck with Peter and Harley and so doesn’t count).

The point is that Tony Stark, despite what the media would have you believe (or what his  ~~adopted kids~~  interns would argue), only knows enough about fashion to make most people believe that he knows everything. He genuinely doesn’t care most of the time.

This, however, was the exception.

“Crocs?” he said, gaping at the neon green atrocities that were currently in his lab. “Who hurt you so much in this life?”

“Super villains, mostly,” Kate said, taking another sip of her Slurpee. “Some aliens. Former classmates. My dad. Uh… Grey Bryson of the Bryson Brothers?”

“ _Kate.”_

_“Tony.”  
_

He gestured helplessly at her feet. “ _Why_  are you wearing  _Crocs_  in my lab?”

She grinned widely. “Didn’t know you felt so strongly about it.”

He narrowed his eyes. That didn’t bode well.

(Indeed it didn’t. Two days later, Peter and Harley were both wearing Crocs, red and black, respectively. Tony didn’t accept defeat though until he spotted Bruce and his purple pair. Traitors, all of them.)


	12. Stuckate "Be my wife"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [original on tumblr](http://butim-justharry.tumblr.com/post/175999583058/11-kate-to-bucky-andor-steve)

**[mimzylee](https://mimzylee.tumblr.com/) asked: 11. Kate to Bucky and/or Steve**

**11. “Be my wife.”**

* * *

 

Kate has a very serious look on her face when she emerges half-way from the air duct, despite hanging upside-down and with a lollipop stick between her lips.

“Be my wife.”

Bucky gives her a blank look from where he is organizing the free weights (Clint is  _horrible_  about putting them back correctly, it drives Bucky nuts). Steve, doing handstand push-ups and thus also upside-down, laughs a bit.

“I know a lot has changed since the 40s, but I’m pretty sure that particular terminology hasn’t.”

Kate somehow manages to look incredibly offended, despite the lollipop and the upside-down-ness. “I’m trying to  _propose_  to you, Rogers, and this is how you respond?”

“If that’s how you’re gonna ask, then yes.”

Kate makes some sort of garbled sound around the lollipop that sounds like a fairly good approximation of a keysmash. “I am  _disgusted_ , I am  _offended_ , I dedicate my life to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ -”

“If you’re gonna quote that vine, you need a washing machine to crawl into.”

Bucky wonders silently if he should also be upside-down, and if doing so would make the whole situation make more sense.

Kate now looks wounded. “If you aren’t gonna appreciate my references as they are, I’m gonna go marry Parker instead.”

“He’s a baby, Kate.”

“And you’re geriatric.”

Bucky decides to step in before this can get even weirder. “Why do you want to get married now?” he asks. “Thought we agreed that a piece of paper wasn’t important in our relationship.”

“It’s not,” she says cheerfully. “But nothing exciting has happened in  _ages_  -”

“We literally fought dinosaurs last week -”

“- and there’s nothing like a big, public, Avengers-related event to get the super villains out of their holes!” she finishes, ignoring Bucky’s  _very good_  point.

“So you want to get married to see if Dr. Doom will show up at the reception?” he asks flatly.

“…yeah, pretty much.”

Bucky stares at her for a moment, then looks over to Steve, who has finally gotten himself the right way up and looks like he’s actually considering it.

Just as Steve opens his mouth to possibly  _agree_  to this nonsense, Bucky turns around. “No.”

“No? What do you mean, no?”

“I mean, this is ridiculous, and I’m going to see if I can tag onto Nat’s mission like she  _offered, politely_ , instead of  _this_.”

“I CAME OUT TO GET MARRIED AND I’M FEELING SO -”

The door swings shut, cutting off Kate’s shout, and Bucky shakes his head. 

Give it a day, something exciting enough for Kate would happen and she’d forget about the wedding for excitement’s sake.


	13. Stuckate “Is… that my picture as your lock screen?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [original on tumblr](http://butim-justharry.tumblr.com/post/182205557138/195-stuckate-amnesia)

Kate woke up slowly. Her head felt like it was full of cotton, and her body felt oddly distant. 

Opening her eyes was a slow process - her eyelids seemed to weigh about a metric ton, each. 

Her immediate concern was the fact that she was in a hospital room. Never a good sign. But at least she wasn’t handcuffed to the bed this time. Probably. She couldn’t muster the energy to lift her head up enough to look and make sure.

There was a phone laying on the bed next to her, and an extremely handsome man asleep in the chair on the same side. He looked familiar... Kate struggled with her thoughts for a moment, before a name finally floated up.

 _Bucky_.

Right, this was Bucky - Steve’s friend. Former assassin. What was he doing here? It was difficult to think, but Kate was pretty sure that he didn’t like her very much.

Maybe Steve had asked him to sit with her while he did... something? That made sense, right?

The phone suddenly lit up, letting out a brief buzz as a text came in. Kate was too out of it to read the message, but she definitely recognized the lock screen behind it.

It was herself, sitting up on someone’s shoulders - she could only guess, but it was probably Steve - aiming an arrow that seemed to be attached to a string of Christmas lights. 

A hand suddenly came down on the phone - evidently the quiet buzzing had been enough to wake Bucky up.

“Hey, Kate,” he said softly, giving her a smile. “Feeling better?”

She blinked at him. “Is… that my picture as your lock screen?”

He chuckled and held it out to her, giving her a better view of the picture. “Yes. Last Christmas - you insisted that we didn’t need ladders to decorate if we had a Hawkeye.”

“Well, you  _don’t_ ,” she said, almost automatically.

Bucky snorted and shook his head. “You’re the one who set that picture as my background. You don’t remember?”

“...no?”

“It’s okay. The doctors said that you might have trouble remembering things when you first woke up. Do you know who I am?”

“Bucky,” she answered. “You’re Steve’s best friend.”

“And boyfriend. And your boyfriend, too, doll.”

Her jaw dropped. “Holy shit,” she breathed. “I’m dating  _both_  of the beefiest beefcakes in the world? What line did I use on you? I need to know in case I ever need to convince you to come back.”

Bucky laughed again, leaning forward to press a kiss against her forehead. “No line. Just you. And don’t worry, I’m not going anywhere. Neither is Stevie.”


End file.
